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How to Brew Tea to Get the Most Flavonoids |
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How you brew your tea affects not only its taste but also how much of its natural goodness ends up in your cup. Water temperature, steeping time and the quality of the leaves all make a difference. The good news is that brewing a flavorful, flavonoid-rich cup is simple once you know a few basics.
Start with good leaves
Fresh, good-quality tea generally contains more flavonoids than old or stale tea. Loose-leaf tea and good tea bags both work well. Look for leaves that smell fresh and fragrant. Store tea in an airtight container away from light, heat, moisture and strong smells, and try to use it within several months of opening.
Water temperature matters
Different teas prefer different temperatures:
- Green tea: water that has cooled a little after boiling, roughly 70 to 80 degrees Celsius (160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit). Boiling water can make green tea bitter.
- White tea: similar to green tea, slightly cooler than boiling.
- Oolong tea: hot water, around 85 to 95 degrees Celsius (185 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Black tea: water just off the boil.
- Herbal teas: usually freshly boiled water.
If you do not have a thermometer, let boiled water sit for two or three minutes before making green tea.
Steeping time
Steeping time strongly affects how much of the tea's compounds are released. Research suggests longer steeping extracts more catechins and other flavonoids. The trade-off is flavor: longer steeping also releases more bitter tannins.
As a starting point:
- Green tea: 2 to 3 minutes
- Black tea: 3 to 5 minutes
- Oolong tea: 3 to 5 minutes
- Herbal teas: 5 minutes or longer
If you want more flavonoids without too much bitterness, try a slightly cooler water temperature with a slightly longer steep, especially for green tea.
Bags versus loose leaf
Tea bags often contain small broken pieces of leaf that release flavor and compounds quickly. Loose-leaf tea usually has larger pieces that need a little more room and time to unfold. Both can make a good cup. Squeezing a tea bag at the end releases a little more of its contents, but it can also add bitterness.
Iced tea at home
Home-brewed iced tea can keep many of the benefits of hot tea without the added sugar of many bottled versions. Brew your tea a little stronger than usual, let it cool and pour it over ice. Cold brewing, where tea is steeped in cold water in the refrigerator for several hours, produces a smooth, mellow flavor that many people enjoy without any sweetener.
Drink it fresh
Flavonoids in brewed tea can gradually break down over time, so it is best to drink tea reasonably soon after brewing. Store any iced tea in the refrigerator and use it within a day or two.
A healthy habit to enjoy
Brewing tea well is a small ritual that rewards you with better flavor and more of tea's natural compounds. Combined with a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, it can be a pleasant part of caring for your heart. If you have specific health concerns, ask your doctor how tea fits into your overall plan.
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